SKY
by BrynMryddin
Summary: Freedom is... a rush of air above the earth, the icy touch of wind... the expanse of a limitless sky. Cross posted on A03.
1. Sky

Viktor had never cared for the cheers of a crowd.

Neither did he particularly like the attention that came with the fame of a seeker, a good one on the national team.

It's not what he had set out for, he just _liked_ the sport, and he wanted to be the _best._

He still wanted that, but perhaps, the enthusiasm had dimmed over the years and years of having his image plastered everywhere and his body seemingly up for grabs to any witch or wizard who seemed to recognize him on the streets.

He longed for the days when quidditch was a favored pastime and his life was his own, when he was _just Viktor._

Karkaroff had insisted on his participation in this blasted tournament, and at Durmstrang, one did not question the headmaster, particularly when you were close to graduating, famous quidditch star or no. Flying now was his only escape from the insanity of the tournament and the crazy English girls and boys who hounded his every step, boxing him in as he slowly went insane under the confines he now found himself in.

Sighing he walked around the empty pitch, the grounds barren from the chill of early December. He missed flying; his broom was at home, Karkaroff having been very clear about his allowing any form of frivolity outside of their daily physical training.

It was probably his melancholic mood that had prevented him from noticing her approach before she made herself known, starting slightly as he heard,

"Viktor?"

The soft voice startling him out of his musings, turning around he faced Helena Potter, the 4th contestant, as she awkwardly shuffled under his scrutiny.

"Da?" his English slipping in the moment

"Er…" Her discomfort obvious as she moved a bit closer "I didn't expect to see you here, which, maybe is stupid of me now that I think of it because you're you and quidditch and all…" she rambled.

He wasn't quite sure about everything she had just said… but the overall meaning was clear, she was just as surprised to see him as he was her.

"ah… yes. I haf not fly in vhile." He responded, ears heating and scowl deepening from the embarrassment of his English skills. She seemed to understand though, her words becoming much easier to understand.

"Oh, you did not bring your broom?" her expression was shocked, as though the thought of being without a broom was incomprehensible.

"I… not let." He could feel the familiar frustration at speaking the unfamiliar language even as he found himself not disliking her company.

"What! That's horrible!" she declared heatedly her eyes sparking in anger "Who would do that to you!?"

This brought him up short, he understood what it was she was saying, but he had not expected it.

Not 'that's horrible'

Not 'what a shame'

But 'who would do that to you', before he could respond she continued

"I would go Bonkers...erm, crazy without mine, you must miss it terribly." Her eyes were so sincere he ducked his head before muttering

"Da." Embarrassed by her accurate perception of the situation as it was. He did miss it, terribly so.

"Wait here." She demanded, showing more spark and authority than he had seem from her thus far, although he had been informed of her impressive showing during the first task. But he waited as she ran up to the castle, the chill of the air not bothering him as the minutes ticked by, home was much colder.

Perhaps 15 minutes later she appeared again, panting, flushed red from the exertion as she carried… two brooms?

"Here!" she cheerily thrust a broom at him… an older model… if he was being courteous, Cleansweep 5's, not exactly what he was used to.

"Sorry…" Helena was blushing furiously "I was going to fly too, but if you don't have a broom I don't want to outstrip you, I borrowed these from the twins, I figured it was better than nothing." She was embarrassed, that was obvious, but as he took the broom in his hand Victor couldn't help but smile at her.

"Thank you, Helena." Her gaze shot up to meet his before she busied herself mounting the broom.

"Yes... well… let's go then." And she kicked off; he was not far behind her.

It was true, he was accustomed to far better brooms than what he was currently riding on, but the months of separation from flying had him not caring as the sky opened up before him and the wind caressed his cheeks, the blue before him seemingly endless before a black streak crossed in front of him.

It was Helena, grinning as she released a Snitch from her grasp

"Come on then!" she challenged as she zoomed after it, he followed quickly after her.

That afternoon, was one of the best he could remember in a long time, he thought afterwards when their game was done and they headed for dismount. He had won the number of times catching the golden ball, but she was a talented seeker and had actually given him a welcomed challenged more often than not. Dismounting, he found himself reluctant to part with the borrowed Cleansweep 5, not sure when he would be able to fly again during the course of the tournament.

"It's the best, isn't it?" Helena asked as she caught his mournful expression

"Vat?"

"Flying, being up there where no one can catch you, just you and the sky." She mused, her eyes drifting upward as Viktor cursed his discomfort with English, she _understood_.

"D-yes…" he sighed, for the first time since coming to England appreciating the company he found himself with "Up there, I am Viktor, just Viktor." He admitted to her.

"I understand" she smiled at him, a genuine smile born out of a shared passion and a shared annoyance, he was well aware of the fame she carried in her home country.

It was not without warrant, he supposed. Her raw magical talent far superior to most her age as demonstrated by just being in the tournament and surviving the first task, and her looks, well, she was not lacking in that department either, her dark hair and bright green eyes were not lost on him as he found himself enjoying her smiles.

"I thank you for broom, and company." He said to her gratefully as her cheeks started to blush again from emotions rather than the wind, he found himself charmed.

"It was no big deal." She shrugged her shoulders, looking away as her embarrassment once again grew.

"No." he found himself disagreeing, moving forward to clasp her face, needing her to understand just what he was trying to say.

"You give me air. It is…" he trailed off, looking for the word he wanted to use. Her eyes softened as she tilted her head to the side, almost nuzzling into his palm, just the thought of her doing so sent a jolt through his core.

"Freedom." She finished for him, eyes widening at the happy smile that broke out on his face before he lost control and brought his lips to hers.

He hadn't meant to, she was only fourteen.


	2. Star

Helena Potter had a secret.

Not the nasty or hurtful kind of secret, but rather the secret of small smiles, kind eyes, and a warm laugh that could take your breath away.

Helena Potter was seeing a man.

Not just any man, but _Viktor Krum_ the seeker she was watched so admiringly the past summer, the Champion of Durmstrang, the one man (for he was certainly not a boy) who seemed to completely understand her.

They were just in the fledgling stages, a minute or two alone here and there, a turn around the pitch of they got the chance, small chaste kisses stolen in dark corners. That was why it was her secret, the small seed of hope, of happiness of what could be… she held it close and nurtured it. There was no need for anyone else to be a part of what they were building.

Helena had never much though about dating, sure, she knew she wanted a family of her own someday, but none of the males in her acquaintance had ever inspired further thought into the subject. Plus she had her… friends… to think about.

Ron, for all that they had bonded on the train first year, had been oh so quick to throw that to the wayside once he though she had insulted his (quite honestly) over inflated ego. Sure, he had thought they'd made up after she had nearly died by Horntail during the first task, but she found herself utterly disenchanted with the clear parameters now set in his friendship.

And Hermione… she mused, she tried so hard, and that was why… Helena wanted to try for herself this time. No cheat sheets, no 'holier than thou' answers, no blabbing to the nearest teacher if _she_ thought something should be reported, damn what Helena said.

No, she was too happy to keep Viktor to herself right now she thought, sighing as she leaned back into his arms. They were beneath the quidditch stands, the wind too harsh to allow for leisurely flying today as small furies of snow accompanied the gusts, it was definitely mid-December, and Scotland was more than eager to remind them.

They had met, and after a liberal use of multiple warming and cushioning charms, had made a small hideout underneath the stands, far from prying eyes and his ever present fan group.

"Vat you tink Helena?" he asked softly, gathering her closer to him as she gratefully snuggled further into his warmth and furs, his English had improved thanks to their conversations, but he still struggled with verbalizing what he wanted to say.

"I was thinking about you." She confessed, not particularly seeing a reason to hide it.

"Oh?" he huffed out, the smug masculine pride radiating off of him making her smile, truly, Viktor was just like every other male "vat about me?"

"Oh, just this and that." She teased, perhaps not prepared to discuss the deeper feelings and thoughts she had been ruminating on.

"viches and secrets" he grumbled into her hair good naturedly as she giggled, loving the fact that for _once_ , she was with someone who would not demand answers from her.

"But maybe you give me ansver to this." He shifted her easily around so that they were facing each other.

"Helena, you go to Yule Ball vit me?" his eyes were apprehensive, as if he truly believed that she would say no.

Her face heated as she broke out in a smile that almost felt inadequate to how she was feeling at that moment, heart bursting as the first one to ask her to the Ball was the only one she had wanted to.

"Yes." Her voice breathless as his face broke out in a matching smile, eyes lighting up in a way so few people would ever experience from him.

"Tank you." He said as sincerely as she had ever heard him be as he leaned forward to connect their lips for the second time in their acquaintance. Her ears roared louder than anytime she had been in the air, and her stomach dropped much like it had that time she had been thrown from her broom First Year, yet instead of fear all there was, was exhilaration.

She felt treasured.

"Come." He disentangled himself from their position and held down a hand for her, still stupidly grinning on the ground as she tried to calm her rapid heartbeat "Ve go back, is late."

Together they left the warmth of their bolt hole and stepped out into the brisk winter air, the wind having died down sometime earlier, and Helena was struck by just how beautiful the night was, a picturesque castle in the distance framed by a thousand glittering stars.

They walked back towards the castle, Viktor intent on seeing her safe before heading off to his ship.

"It's a beautiful night." She remarked as they passed the gate onto the immediate grounds.

"Da, stars shine bright." He agreed, a small grin still on his face to match the smile she hadn't been able to lose the entire way there.

"They _are_ quite brilliant tonight." She agreed softly as they approached the door, turning to face him as she stood on the second step, bringing them to eye level with each other.

"But… she reached out and took his face in her hands "I think I prefer your smile to the brightest star in the sky." And with that she took initiative for the first time, calling on every scrap of courage she possessed, and brought her lips to his. Kissing him the way she had seen the movie stars do when Aunt Petunia had watched one of her programmes on the telly when Uncle Vernon took Dudley out for a 'mens night'.

Quickly pulling away when he gasped in surprise, she shot him a cheeky grin and wink (perhaps somewhat ineffective due to her face having the likeness of a tomato) and fled indoors, leaving him dumbfounded on the steps of the castle, eyes and mouth wide like he couldn't believe what had just happened.

Running up to the dormitories she flew past the common room and right into bed, quickly drawing the curtains and throwing the strongest silencing spell she knew at them before rolling around and hugging her pillow in a delirious sort of joy.

She was going to the ball with Viktor!

* * *

Viktor wouldn't admit for many years to come that he had stood for more than a few minutes frozen in shock on the steps of Hogwarts.

 _She_ had kissed _him_ like _that_ …

All thoughts of age difference flew out of his head as he felt his cheeks heating in a rarely seen blush.

Yes, he decided.

He'd happily outshine any star in the sky if that's how she felt about it.

The smile that resulted from their heated encounter wouldn't even fade from Karkaroffs scolding when he got back to the ship a few minutes after curfew.


	3. Float

"You're going with Neville?" Helena asked curiously at her friends blushing face as they sat together in the 4th year dormitory, Parvati and Lavender elsewhere occupied.  
"Yes." Hermione squeaked out, highly embarrassed yet any girl worth her salt could sense the underlying elation, "He asked me in the library."  
Neville and Hermione… she mulled over the pairing, Neville was a nice boy, if a bit shy and meek. He and Hermione had always gotten on though, and perhaps during the many many tutoring sessions there had been a spark of something.  
"-ena Helena!" Hermione jolted her out of her reverie, "I was asking if you were going with anyone?" Hermione sat at the edge of her bed, face still red and eager to share in any news her friend had.  
"I-" Helena started before the door slammed open to reveal the giggling duo Lavender and Parvati.  
Helena smiled ruefully and shrugged as Hermione as the conversation abruptly ended, neither in a mood to start a gossip session with two blabbermouths.

It wouldn't be until a few days later during a study hall when the topic of dates would come up again with both Ron and Hermione.  
"Well how 'bout it?" Ron leaned closer to her after bemoaning his ill-fated date proposal to Fleur  
"…What?" she asked warily, knowing where this was going as her mind screamed at her to get out of there.  
"You'll go with me to the ball? S'not like you have a date." She just stared at him.  
In all fairness she hadn't told anyone about Viktor taking her to the ball, and neither had he it seemed. And so while it was reasonable to assume then, that she didn't have a date, the tactless way he presented himself to her as an option made her blood run cold in an icy rage.  
"No thanks." She hissed at him, her sibilant tone edging on Parseltongue before gathering her books and sweeping out on a wave of feminine fury. Behind her as his sputters ran out she heard him remark  
"So Hermione, you're a girl."  
Boys. She thought, rolling her eyes as she heard Hermione catch up with her on the way to the library.

* * *

There were very few opportunities to meet with Viktor before the ball, the longest of which they had only really managed to color coordinate, he was wearing red and she decided to wear red as well.  
She had packed a set of Green and gold dress robes that brought out her eyes, but in the spirit of matching she figured a color changing charm would be worth it and promptly switched the color to a deep ruby red.  
Fingering the fabric she looked at the full length mirror provided in the dorm. She felt pretty for the first time that she could remember. Aunt Petunia had never let her wear anything but cheap shirts and plan skirts bought from the pound store or a garage sale, truly ill-fitting and plain, she hated those clothes. The Hogwarts uniform, while fitted for her, was not particularly flattering on anybody really. But these robes she had picked because they made her feel beautiful.  
It was an empress waist dress, the sales girl had told her, the green (now red) had been the bold color of the dress, offset by gold filigree accenting the waist and shoulders. It fell perfectly along her lithe frame, making it seem classy and elegant, rather than underfed non-curvaceous outline she usually had.  
Lavender, who was going with Seamus, had offered to do her hair makeup, and Helena had surprised both of them by saying yes, on the condition that it was nothing to heavy. Lavender had practically had stars in her eyes as she had attacked her virgin face and hair with colors and creams.  
Her hair for once, was stylish, in an organized chaos sort of way Lavender and Parvati both assuring her that it was all the rage. So up into a decidedly messy bun it went, dark wavy and curly tendrils falling to frame her face, the ensemble held together by bobby pins charmed a glittery gold color.  
Her face though, her face was both like coming home and looking at a stranger, the makeup light, but enhancing her eyes and the deep red lipstick Parvati had strong-armed her into wearing.  
She looked like a true woman. In her opinion.  
The 4th year dorm had never been as united as it was that night as all four girls bonded over dates and their outfits. Even Hermione had been transformed from a bookish colt of a girl to a very polished and pretty version of Hermione no one had ever seen before.  
"We never did get it out of you, who're you going with!?" Lavender exclaimed as the three other Gryffindor girls gathered at the top of the stairs for their big reveal, all of them meeting their fellow Gryffindor dates in the common room.  
"You'll see" she responded, smiling at their impatient faces, Viktor was meeting her outside the ballroom.  
Meeting up with the boys Neville, Seamus, and Dean (Ron had to go ahead to meet with Padma, Parvati's twin from Ravenclaw whom he had found rather last minute) they left for the Great Hall.  
Stopping at the top of the final stairs allowing the others to go ahead, she scanned the sea of Durmstrang students for Viktor.  
He materialized suddenly out of the crowd, moving towards the foot of the staircase, eyes fixed on her, waiting for her decent. Slowly, mindful of the unfamiliar low heels she was wearing, she all but floated to the bottom, where he quickly grabbed her hand and kissed it.  
"You look lovely mila." Viktor rumbled, eyes intent on her as she blushed, everyone else in the foyer looking at the two of them.  
"T-Thanks, you too!" was all she could rush out before going to slam her hand over her mouth in mortification, only to remember at the last second about the lipstick as she yanked it the other way, flailing a bit before settling down, her face on fire from embarrassment before she heard a rich sounding laughter.  
"Is ok." His eyes twinkling as he grabbed hold of her hand again "we go to dance, haf fun" and he started guiding her to the other two champions and their dates, both staunchly ignoring the whispers and mutters around them. Both more focused on each other, she definitely had a new appreciation for dress robes if this was how he looked in them, filling it out, all broad shoulders and lean hips in a bloody red that matched her dress perfectly.  
Fleur who attended with Roger Davies gave them cursory greetings as she looked them over, nodding once in some kind of approval before turning back to her all but drooling date.  
Cedric was a bit friendlier in his greeting, however Cho was very obviously unwilling to interact for long before she turned Cedric's attention back towards her and the entrance where McGonagall was waiting for them to line up and open the dance…  
…oh…  
The Dance…  
"Viktor!" she whisper screamed at him causing his eyes to widen in alarm  
"Vat?!"  
"I can't dance!" she hurriedly confessed to him, even more mortified than during her earlier gaffe.  
Much to her consternation, his deep laugh boomed out again as he lead her into the Great Hall before he led her to their place on the floor in front of everyone.  
"Trust me?"

she took a deep breath.

"I do."


	4. Elated

The moment he had seen Helena Potter on the top of that staircase in all her glory was perhaps the moment he knew what he wanted from life.

She looked a vision, draped in the red of his school, team and country, his perfect match. In his mind as he waited for her decent, all he could see were visions of a future with her on his arm, dressed like that as they took on whatever interview of social occasion together, the makeup he saw as she drew closer only enhancing his fantasies as it gave a preview of what she would become as her features matured.

"You look lovely mila" the endearment slipped out before he could censor it, although she did not press the issue which he considered a small blessing at the moment before he was reminded of just how endearing he found her.

"T-Thanks, you to!" his English wasn't the greatest but even he knew that 'lovely' wasn't a term for males, not that he particularly minded after she flushed so prettily in embarrassment, her arms flailing around as she tried to find a physical recourse for her hasty words.

 _Adorable_

He couldn't help but laugh (a surprise even to him) as he hurried to reassure her of his acceptance and usher her to their places where they would open up the dance. Around them he could hear the general population of student reacting… with jealousy, contempt, and distain, not that he expected much else.

The other champions had been rather disinterested in their surprise as they focused more on their dates, although Fleur had been quite supportive in her immediate acceptance, far more than he had expected of the French champion.

Helena had always surprised him, so, he should not have been as astonished by the hasty confession moments before the beginning of the dance that, _she didn't know how._

Idly, he wondered how high the standards of Hogwarts could be if they failed to teach one of their champions more than the cursory 1-2-3-4.

But when he asked if she trusted him, it had been an unequivocal _'I do'_.

Viktor was not known for his grace on the ground, indeed most found his gait rather awkward, a side effect of spending so much time up on a broom. But those two words had lit a new fire in him, and as soon as the first cords of the song sounded he felt as if the floor had given way to the empty sky, and he focused on making sure Helena had a true dance among the clouds. Heavily leading her this and that way, his vindication came in her elated smiles and laughs as the dreaded 'first dance' became just a dance between Viktor and Helena.

It proved to be one of the higher points of the night unfortunately.

Throughout the dinner he was constantly deflecting barbs from Karkaroff and any of his ilk disgruntled with his choice of date or trying to support Helena when she was questioned by the plethora of 'concerned friends' who spoke far too fast or technically for him to follow, reducing him to only a strong and silent presence to support her words as she defended herself and him.

It was only after a short reprieve of dancing to more upbeat songs and him leaving her with her friend Hermione (whose name he _never_ would be able to say correctly) to go get drinks that it truly spelled the end of what could have been a blissful night.

Getting back with the butterbeer they had requested he saw a disgruntled girl being led off by fellow classmate Lazar and a red headed boy confronting both Helena and her friend.

"Consorting with the enemy s'what! And why'd you have to go on with _Neville_ huh? Where's he now?"

At his side he felt the presence of a boy looking angrily at the scene with a plate of pastries he had most likely gone to get for the girls, even he could tell this was the 'Neville" being spoken of.

Before intervention on either part was possible the other girl had started to run out the door.

"Hermione, wait!" the boy, definitely this Neville character called after her, shoving theb plate into his hands as he ran after her. Helena looked up from her confrontation to see him waiting a few meters away from them before he walked up to the table and dumped the drinks and food, both long forgotten in light of this new development.

"Vat is happen here mila?" the endearment still feeling as natural as the first time he had said it earlier. His intervention was rewarded by the beaming smile she graced him with as the fool red boy started to puff up at being ignored.

"You think you can just steal her away huh?" the boy blustered at him as he put an arm around Helena's shoulders facing him unimpressed, he'd faced far worse opponents in his tenure as a professional player.

"I think I ask beautiful vitch to dance, not like you." He ended the argument before it escalated then by sweeping Helena away into the crowd to try and enjoy the one or two popular danced left before the night became too late.

As the night petered out he knew it had never really recovered from the earlier interruptions, but still, he felt completely content with just being with her as she led him towards her dormitory after he insisted on walking her back… that was until he seized the opportunity of an empty classroom on the way to pull her into, unwilling to share his thoughts in front of a public passageway.

"I-" he started before noticing her intense blush… and then blushing himself, perhaps he should have thought of the implications of pulling a young witch into an empty classroom, but he soldered on.

"I vant to thank you, for good night." He stated bashfully must to his consternation, an arm came up to scratch at the back of his head as she just looked at him, "I… I have good time vit you." He tried to explain as she grew more comfortable as he awkwardly rambled on,

"you look best, I… I lucky and honored." His embarrassment at this point making it impossible to form a decent sentence, it was like she tongue tied him by merely existing.

"I… I had fun too." She offered him a smile with an outstretched palm which he gratefully took "You, you made me feel like I was flying." She offered shyly eyes peaking up from long lashes as she shuffled, uncomfortable with admitting it to him no doubt, a far cry from the lioness she had been a week or two ago, but far more poignant.

"It is not so hard." He reached up to stroke a soft cheek "vhen you are my sky." He admitted finally to her, feeling lighter than he ever had on his Firebolt.

"I'd like to be your sky." She admitted timidly, reaching up to capture his hand and keep it cupping her face "as long as you're all the stars that fill it." She smiled softly at him as he felt an upwelling of affection to this incredible witch he had found. Reaching up to cup her face in his hands he rested their foreheads together.

"Alvays" he promised, not even able to comprehend not having her in his life now that she was a part of it "My Sky."

"My Stars." She responded before moving up to kiss him. Although they had shared in numerous cheek and forehead kissed there had been few times their lips had actually touched.

The first time when he could help but kiss this intriguing and delightful witch.

The second when she had introduced him to the more carnal pleasures to be experienced with her.

And this time…

This time they took their time, exploring each other, encouraging every soft gasp and moan as they learned each other in a moment that seemed to stretch for lifetimes.

Parting, they simply looked at each other, he desperately trying to remember her in _this_ moment for the inevitable lonely nights when they would part, he for a career, and her for her schooling.

"I don't want to say goodbye." She finally broke the silence with that admittance, bringing his heart into a whole new realm of joy.

"Is not goodbye." He managed to counter "I see you tomorrow. No Karkaroff stop me." Tomorrow, the start of the winter holidays where he, as an adult, could stay at Hogwarts in a guest dorm instead of being ferried back to school and then home like most of the Durmstrang support that had come with the contingent.

"That's right! Winter break!" she exclaimed, her enthusiasm a balm to his lingering insecurities.

"Da, I see you soon" he finished with a wink as he found himself suddenly in front of a portrait of a... fat lady? As Helena whispered something into his ear before turning to face the portrait.

"Password dear?" it enquired as Helena said something completely out of his realm of comprehension and vanished inside with a shy wave.

"You better hang onto her boy." The portrait startled him as he had turned to head back to the ship.

"Vat?" he asked startled to be addressed by a portrait for anything serious.

"You both have the exact same looks I remember My William and I having." The lady sighed "it's one of the most romantic things I've seen in _decades_!"

Viktor ducked his head in sudden embarrassment as the portrait pontificated further on the fate of his and Helena's relationship and instead dwelt on what Ms. Potter had whispered in his ear,

" _Obicham te"_ his heart had stuttered and he was at a loss for one of the first times in his life.

The girl he had envisioned forever with had just given him the ultimate reassurance that his dreams and fantasies hadn't been for naught, instead, he felt a fire ignite within him.

He'd woo Helena Potter to the end of days, just to hear those words again.


	5. Plummet

p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', sans-serif; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"Like most good things in Helena's life, the week of near-bliss spent with Viktor didn't last./spanspan style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', sans-serif;"br / span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"In fact, things got progressively worse./spanbr / span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"The interest and vitriol exuded by most of the student population practically doubled as they poured back from the Holidays, their initial anger at her participation in the tournament only augmented by her now public relationship with Viktor./spanbr / span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"While she had always been 'famous' she was more of a… political figure really, not like Viktor, who was currently one of the best Seekers in the world on the professional circuit./spanbr / span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"Helena didn't even open her piles of mail anymore, just sorted out anything that was familiar and burned the rest./spanbr / span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"Viktor, in some ways had it better, and worse./spanbr / span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"For while she only had to fend off hate mail more or less, he himself was fending off girls by the dozens, all trying to corner him and show him why he should be with them instead. He confided to her that he was deeply uncomfortable with the amount of attention he was receiving now, while before it had been quite manageable./spanbr / span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"It was the tabloids though, that were the worst./spanbr / span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"Rita Skeeter in particular seemed to take great relish in dragging her through the mud. She couldn't interfere with Viktor as much, given the competent legal team retained by the Vrasta Vultures. But Helena was a wide open target./spanbr / span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"She was a tart, a lovesick puppy, a fame addled little girl, talented in love potions./spanbr / span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"All the while, all she could do was ignore it and go forward. Taking the advice she had learned in history class the year before she came to Hogwarts/spanbr / span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"Keep calm and carry on./spanbr / br / span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"And so she did./spanbr / br / span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"The second task, well, she got through it by the skin of her teeth (almost literally because Gillyweed was disgusting). She rescued Hermione while Viktor pulled up a close friend of his, Berislav who he had then formally introduced to her after the task./spanbr / span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"He had firmly shaken her hand as he grinned and chattered away (in what she had thought was Bulgarian, Viktor later informed her it was Russian, actually) as Viktor translated./spanbr / span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"Later when she had asked about it, she learned that Durmstrang was taught solely in Russian, with any student attending needing to be fluent before admittance./spanbr / span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;""Is vhy our English not so good." He concluded "many other languages to learn"/spanbr / span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"-/spanbr / span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"Life after the second task got even worse./spanbr / span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"Shortly after the task Viktor had pulled her aside to talk a bit and had even managed to invite her to visit his home in the summer./spanbr / span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"The Skeeter happened./spanbr / span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"The headlines blared "Girl-Who-Lived leaving England for Viktor Krum?" and "Absconding with Adult Seeker?"/spanbr / br / span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"The third task was the culmination of all the bad that had happened that year. Years later Helena would look at that night as one of the single worst she had ever lived through./spanbr / span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"No contestant who entered the maze had come out the same, how could they?/spanbr / span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"Viktor had been imperioused and attacked the other three, incapacitating Fleur and nearly getting Cedric./spanbr / span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"Fleur had been crucio'd and knocked unconscious before they had sent sparks up for her./spanbr / span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"Helena had been tortured, both physically and mentally, forced to watch unspeakable things, was kidnapped by a polyjuced Deatheater and witnessed the return of Voldemort./spanbr / span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"And Cedric… Cedric was dead./spanbr / br / span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin:  
initial; background-clip: initial;"The three remaining champions, for the rest of their lives, refused to speak much about that night./spanbr / br / span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"And then it was the end of the year. Helena had so many conflicting feelings about the past year she found herself phasing in and out of attention during the day, her appearance growing a bit haggard as the nightmares kept her up, and more than once she had shot a quick hex at anyone who startled her./spanbr / span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"Viktor, for the last few weeks, was her rock, and she in turn, was his./spanbr / span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"He too, had nightmares, of being helpless under the imperious, of cursing Fleur until he had managed to break free for a moment and stun her before succumbing again./spanbr / span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;""If only I vas stronger." He had muttered into her hair the first time they had been able to just be alone together. He had held her then, tightly, as though she was his only anchor and he was hers./spanbr / span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"It was the first time she had felt peaceful in months./spanbr / br / span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;""Visit me?" he had asked again. She paused, wondering if she really could. Her aunt and uncle wouldn't care, in fact, they'd probably be glad she was out of their hair/spanbr / br / span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"Before leaving on his ship, they caught one last moment together./spanbr / span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;""I'll ask my Aunt and Uncle, I think they'll let me, but probably not for the first few weeks." She said, thinking of all the chores that would be piled up for her, the end of the summer was usually when they started to just kick her out of the house for the day./spanbr / span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;""Is good, I am thinking." He sounded happy, "I haf … last month… август… free"/spanbr / span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;""August?" she lightly offered/spanbr / span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;""Yes, that one." He agreed "Training camp before, season start after."/spanbr / span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;""I'll write you."/spanbr / span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;""Da, Mila, and I vrite you."/spanbr / span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"He leaned forward and kissed her goodbye. Idly, she thought that out of all the kisses they had shared, this one was her least favorite./spanbr / span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;""I'll miss you." She whispered as she parted from him to join her friends as Berislav and another friend of his, Lazar, pulled him toward the ship./spanbr / span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;""I see you soon, Mila!" he called to her, surpassing the students around them with his raised voice and the smile on his face./spanbr / span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"Yes, yes he would./span/span/p 


	6. Soar

The train ride back to Kings Cross was interesting.

If anything, it confirmed that this year had drastically changed the dynamic of friends around her. Ron was still around, but more withdrawn and sullen, prone to snapping at any perceived insult from his corner of the compartment.

Neville and Hermione were officially together, and it was a slow shift from platonic acquaintances to a deeper intimacy. But still, sitting next to each other hand in hand they were a bit more concerned with each other than their fellow compartment dwellers. Something Helena was almost grateful for, as it stopped the constant (but well meaning) barrage of questions about her mental state from Hermione.

Ginny was there also with a fellow 3rd year who she had introduced as Loony Luna Lovegood, who, while interesting, was a bit… _out there_.

To be honest… Helena felt disconnected from her peers. And for the first time, felt a deep sense of loneliness during the train ride back, despite being surrounded with her… Friends? Acquaintances?

The first few weeks of the summer holiday past in near isolation.

She never expected letters for the first week or two during the holiday, everyone re-acclimating to their families and catching up. But when all of June past, and they were in the first week of July with no word from anyone other than Viktor who, due to professional obligations, barely had time to write more than once every week or so (plus the distance needed between His training camp in Bulgaria and Little Whining), she grew irritated.

None of her letters to her more local friends were answered, and she was left with only Viktor's reassuring words and promise that he would pick her up from the Leaky Cauldron on July 30th. After she had informed him that her aunt and uncle had all but jumped on the opportunity to be rid of her for the rest of the summer.

She would have liked to have told Hermione, or even Ginny, in order to have a little bit of 'girl talk' about spending all that time with Viktor, but after the communication blackout she wasn't feeling generous in the information department.

So, like pretty much everything else in her life, she's do this alone.

And most of the summer past with her quickly finishing whatever chores she had and escaping to the local library where there was one Bulgarian phrasebook she would hog for the day. She knew her accent was probably atrocious, but as she practiced on the walk home every day, she was pleased that she remembered _most_ of the simple phrases in addition to what she had picked up from Viktor.

Gathering her school supplies was the only hardship of the day she left. Luckily, with the featherweight charms, it was only the bulk she had to worry about, rather than the weight of all of her things.

Quickly she made her way to the end of the street and discreetly raised her wand, summoning the Night Bus and (better prepared this time) made her way to the Leaky.

They made good time, and rolled up right at 10 in the morning, a slow time for business, an excellent time for recognizable people to meet.

Getting inside, she saw his profile waiting by the fire, he hadn't noticed her yet. It gave her a moment to reflect on _him._

He wasn't the most attractive boy/man she had ever met, his features fairly average with a strong nose, hair well maintained and kept to about chin length. He was fairly tall, and a bit bulkier than most Seekers tended to be, but she knew from the amount of hugs and closeness they had shared that he was extremely fit. His whole demeanor was a bit awkward, as if walking was not something that came overly natural to him and his face was given to be set in a stern fashion.

But, she thought, as he noticed her by the door and smiled at her, his eyes were a deep brown that would light up when he was happy, and when he did smile that special smile that few ever saw, it lit up his entire countenance and he became handsome even, particularly when he smiled at her like that.

And none of that mattered, when he greeted her tenderly, taking her into his arms in a strong hug while whispering how much he had looked forward to seeing her again in (much improved) English before pulling back and smiling down at her as though they were the only two people in the room.

He treated her like she was the most important person in his life, and in that, he was the most important in hers.

Viktor had not anticipated how drastically he would feel the loss of being able to see Helena on a regular basis, even if only for moments.

Training camp was grueling, and on bad days, he wished that she could be there, just to talk to or hold after a bludger broke his leg or when the coach was displeased with his catching time. It was perhaps, a blessing that most nights all he managed to do was stay up for a little bit to manage his affairs, maybe write a letter, and then fall into dead sleep.

What was fortunate, however, was his roommate recently recruited from Canada of all places and although his native language was French, he was far more fluent in English than Viktor. In exchange for help navigating around his new home and some Bulgarian lessons, he would sit with Etienne before bed and go through some basic lessons in areas where he was lacking, or just talk about the day in English only, so to not fall out of practice.

Although in his dreams he sometimes replayed that rushed little confession from the night of the Yule Ball, her accent just as bad as his in English, waking up thinking he'd quite like to hear it some more.

But luckily, busy time is fast time, and it seemed like too much, and not enough time past before he was heading to purchase an international portkey to pick her up.

He arrived at the bar she had specified with little fanfare, the Alley quiet on a Sunday morning, too early to buy supplies for the upcoming school year he assumed.

He hadn't been there too long before he noticed she had arrived, she was staring at him with a fond look he found himself enjoying before smiling and going over to her.

It felt like a weight had been lifted, in a sense. She was calming to him in ways even he couldn't fully articulate, but when he held her, all his nervous energy that had built up in anticipation of seeing her had faded away, replaced by a warmth that he thoroughly enjoyed.

He knew she was young, her 15th birthday was the next day to his 19 now but having her smile up at him was like coming home, and he knew that this was it for him, she was his match.

"I have Portkey ready vhen you are." He blurted out before his thoughts went any deeper, he could already feel a slight blush beginning on his cheeks to match the one she was currently sporting.

"Then let's get going, before anyone raises a fuss." She muttered the last part but didn't answer his inquiring look about it.

"alvright, ve go to my home, I live with my family in Sofia. They will like you, I am thinking." He teased as her eyes widened at the mention of his family while they made their way to a designated travel zone.

 _Adorable_

"Alright. But you should know, I don't take portkeys very well." He turned to look at his again to find her skin was already going paler.

"Is ok, I vill take care of you." He promised as they reached the zone, reaching around her shrunken trunk in his pocket to grab the Private Portkey Pass he had bought.

"I thought they were all rusty cans and garbage?!" Helena exclaimed as she examined it, causing him to chuckle

"No, only public ones." She nodded at that, as she held the other edge of the ticket and he grabbed her before whispering the activation code.

She wasn't lying.

Had he not had a death grip on her as they landed, she would have undoubtedly fell face first onto the cobblestone that made up the Public Portkey Zone in Sofia.

He made a valiant effort to not laugh at her as she swayed and blustered in embarrassment trying to get her bearings, he couldn't quite muffle the small snickers that escaped as she whirled to face him, eyes fierce and narrow.

"We will never speak of this." She demanded, hair in disarray and cheeks flushing attractively, he immediately quieted, and could only muster up a dumb nod as he was busy enjoying the sight she made.

"well, where to now?" she started to smooth out her hair and straighten her clothes as she glanced around, taking in the new sights, eyes widening in wonder as he felt a strange sort of pride she seemed to like his home so much.

"Ve apperate to my home, my mayko and baba… very… vant to meet you." He informed her.

"Wait, your… mother, and …Grandmother?" she asked surprised as he felt a twinge of happiness she had understood him.

"Da." He responded with a teasing grin

"Your family must be very close." She muttered, blush starting to regain intensity on her face.

"Da, she live beside us. Chicho down street." He nodded, answering her question. She looked at him oddly for a second before understanding seemed to hit.

"No I meant… well never-… that is close!" she all but squeaked as he tried to keep up with her speech, very confusing.

"Vat?" he knew girls were confusing sometimes, but he was absolutely lost on how flustered she seemed to be getting.

She took a deep breath and seemed to calm as she reached out to hold his hand,

"It's nothing," she smiled at him, the nervous edge still there but far more calm than a second ago "let's go?" he smiled back squeezing her hand as he then apperated them home.


End file.
